Guest editor Special Issue "Dust Aerosols in Urban Atmospheres: Emissions, Air Quality Impact and Source Apportionment"
Urban aerosols are a mixture of anthropogenic and natural contributions from different sources. Atmospheric particles can be either primary (such as mineral dust, sea salts, or soot) or secondary (including sulfates, nitrates, or secondary organic aerosols, among others) in origin. Over certain regions, the arrival and/or the regular presence of dust aerosols from desert regions are incorporated in the urban atmospheric cocktail, increasing PM concentrations, activating atmospheric processing of gas-species, or exacerbating aerosol health-related effects. In these and other cases, local to regional contributions of dust aerosols can be very relevant, and are typically related to road dust inputs, industrial emissions or agricultural activities. The characterization of dust emissions, the assessment of their impact on air quality or their quantification at different spatial and temporal scales are important considerations when developing efficient abatement strategies, or when evaluating their potential impact on human health. This Special Issue welcomes scientific contributions in the following areas: physical and chemical characterization of emission sources of dust; PM mass and particle number impact of dust aerosols; dust deposition; modeling studies; source apportionment studies; or any review study on these topics.
Urban aerosols are a mixture of anthropogenic and natural contributions from different sources. Atmospheric particles can be either primary (such as mineral dust, sea salts, or soot) or secondary (including sulfates, nitrates, or secondary organic aerosols, among others) in origin. Over certain regions, the arrival and/or the regular presence of dust aerosols from desert regions are incorporated in the urban atmospheric cocktail, increasing PM concentrations, activating atmospheric processing of gas-species, or exacerbating aerosol health-related effects. In these and other cases, local to regional contributions of dust aerosols can be very relevant, and are typically related to road dust inputs, industrial emissions or agricultural activities. The characterization of dust emissions, the assessment of their impact on air quality or their quantification at different spatial and temporal scales are important considerations when developing efficient abatement strategies, or when evaluating their potential impact on human health. This Special Issue welcomes scientific contributions in the following areas: physical and chemical characterization of emission sources of dust; PM mass and particle number impact of dust aerosols; dust deposition; modeling studies; source apportionment studies; or any review study on these topics.